1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for removing flash from golf balls, and more particularly, to automatically aligning the flash and gates of a golf ball in a horizontal plane whereby such flash may be removed automatically by a milling machine.
2. Description of the Background Art
Various methods and apparatus have been devised for removing the flash from golf balls which is formed during the fabrication process. The flash and gates are formed when two hemispherical halves of the golf ball are injection molded or otherwise coupled together about a core. The flash represents the horizontal equator of the ball and contains excess material extending radially from the ball. Although various machines, normally abrading machines, are utilized to remove such flash prior to sale and use, it has been necessary in the past to manually position the golf ball with respect to the milling machine prior to milling.
Prior art machinery similar to that disclosed and claimed herein include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,561,908 to Reinfeld; 4,501,715 to Barfield; 4,779,387 to Reid et al.; and 4,894,958 to Takasaki.
Reinfeld includes a rotatable ball support member, a rotatable ball engaging member positionable directly above the ball support member and means for driving the ball engaging member. Other means position the ball engaging member for movement to and from engagement with the ball on the ball support member, a cutter means is provided and a support means carries the cutter means and is pivotally positioned so that control means connecting to the support means can move it to bring the cutter means into and out of engagement with the ball on the ball support member for trimming mold flash, or rind therefrom.
Barfield relates to a mold and method of compression molding shell half covers around a core to forth golf balls. Opposed dies are pressed together such that some of the material trapped between the approaching dies is forced back into the mold to compensate for shrinkage and the remainder is forced outside of the die cavities where it can be drained off.
Reid et al. relate to an automatic buffing machine and method for automatically buffing a golf ball. The golf ball is oriented such that the flash ring is in a predetermined plane and then the flash ring is removed. The golf ball matrix is preferably utilized to orient the golf ball and both cutting and sanding are preferably used to remove the flash ring.
Takasaki relates to an apparatus for scraping off burrs at the resin outer layer of a golf ball. According to this patent, even if some errors exist in the diameter of golf balls of resin outer layer, only burrs can be scraped off automatically at high efficiency without impairing the degree of true circle of golf balls and without generating deformation of golf balls.
The above mentioned patents disclose methods and apparatus for specific applications. None of such machines and methods, however, are particularly adapted for automatically positioning flash lines of golf balls during the manufacturing process.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus to automatically orient a golf ball for milling comprising a plurality of aligned cups, each cup having a generally hemispherical recess to receive a golf ball; means to move the golf balls from cup to cup; means to detect the height of the golf ball in the cup as a function of whether excess circumferential material is in the cup or resting on the upper surface of the cup; means to initiate blasts of air when excess material is in the recess; and means to terminate the jets of air at subsequent cups if there is no excess material in the recess.
Another object of the present invention is to automatically position golf balls with their flash lines in a horizontal plane.
It is a further object of the present invention to continuously and automatically position golf balls for flash line removal.
It is a further object of the present invention to use pulsed blasts of air in sequential steps to reposition golf balls until the equator thereof is in a horizontal plane.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.